Hermione's Homework Accident
by Cray Queen of Angst
Summary: Written for 'A Demigod Wizard Duel at the Hunger Games Competition' Challenge. Demigod Battle round. Hermione has a difficult Alchemy assignment, one she won't accept help from anyone from. Things go wrong, but there's someone by her side, someone who doesn't care if she messed up on an assignment.


**Written for 'A Demigod Wizard Duel at the Hunger Games Competition' Challenge. **

**My Element: Metal **

**Task: Write about someone loving a certain characteristic/feature of another person.**

**Proms Used: 1. "What have we got here?"; 2. White; 3. Music**

* * *

Hermione Granger glared at the offensive metal bar that sat on her table. She huffed and studded away to the kitchen she shared with the Head Boy: Draco Malfoy.

Now there was someone who could make her look at the metal bar and think it a beautiful piece of art. But she doubted it really, nothing could make her dislike towards the thing go away. Not even him. The assignment was to darn hard, and if she was unable to figure it out soon, she was going to have to go back on her word and ask _him_ for help. And that was something she would not do.

After making herself a nice cup of tea Hermione returned to the shared living room and plugged her earphones on to her iPod to listen to some music, which after all did tend to clear her mind. She was just thankful she had managed to find a way to make the silly device run on magic instead of all that technology.

Putting the volume up she grabbed her textbook and carefully read over the assignments and the workings of the spell she was supposed to work with on the bar. Why did Hermione have to go and request Alchemy for her last year's class again? Oh that's right because all her friends had opted not to return to finish the school year and the only way she could deal with them not being there was to drown her in school work.

It wasn't until sometime later that Draco Malfoy returned to the Head Common room though the hidden compartment though the bookcase in the library. "Granger, are you still not done with the assignment?" Draco asked with a smirk as he approached her to inspect her progress, or lack of.

Hermione didn't hear him though, because right now Bon Jovi had her undivided attention.

Draco frowned. Was she still upset with him, surely even she couldn't hold _that_ against him. He was merely stating the truth; it was a complex, not to mention complicated, assignment, one that she could not do on her own without some assistance.

"Oh—you're a loaded gun…. Oh- there's nowhere to run, no one can save me the damage is done!" Hermione sang, the last note was accompanied by her wand hand going up in the air.

It was also at this precise moment that Draco took the chance to get into her line of sight. Successfully startling her, Hermione let out a cry of surprise (horror) and cast a curse forward. Draco only managed to duck out of the way in time before the curse shot past him and on to a mirror, before it bounced off to a different target.

Hermione was flushing deeply after that. "Well, well, what have we got here?" Draco said crossing his arm in front of him as he stared her down, causing her to blush deeper.

"Oh shut up." She said turning her face away from him. It was then she caught sight of the metallic bar on the table. Only it was no longer a solid. "Oh Merlin, Draco, look at what you made me do!" she groaned as she shoved past him to inspection her mess. "This is your entire fault." She glared at him.

Draco managed to chuckle. "You know Granger; I love how you always manage to blame me for your own messes." He smirked, fishing for a response as he went to stand over her to inspection the mess se had created. "Wait, why is it turning white?" he asked warily. "More importantly why is it bubbling?" taking a step back, Draco pulled Hermione back as well.

Hermione carefully moved back a few steps as the white metal began bubbling dangerously. "I think we should get out of here." She suggested as she felt behind her to prevent herself from crashing against something.

"You know, I think I might just actually agree." Draco said before briskly turning around, grabbing Hermione by the wrist, and pulling her quickly towards the entrance hole and out the Head Dormitories just in time for them to avoid the explosion.

"What is the matter in there?!" Madam Pince shouted from somewhere in the library, it would only be a matter of moments before she came to their dorm entrance to demand answers.

Draco took Hermione's chin in his fingers and turned her to face him. "Are you alright?" he asked staring deep into her eyes.

Hermione nodded before pulling her arms around his centre and burring her face in his chest. "I'm fine." She nodded.

"Merlin Hermione." Draco breathed as he wrapped his arms around her. He didn't say anything else, and he only pulled away when Madam Pince was turning the corner.

After getting things sorted out with the Head Mistress McGonagall and the Patron Librarian, Draco and Hermione were assigned temporary new dormitories.

After both had gone to bed, Hermione laid awake at night, s small smile on her face. Draco, though out the whole thing, had not once told her an 'I told you so', something that both Harry, and most definitely Ron, would have told her. He didn't say a single word about the accident, he just continued conversation with her on other topics, and when the Alchemy professor, Darlius, gave her a new piece to work on, he all but tossed it on the table. "You can work on it later, it's late and we should sleep." He had said before kissing her forehead and heading to his dormitory.

Hermione couldn't help but feel grateful. That was one of the things Hermione loved most about Draco. The fact that she never had to worry about him holding any of her past mistakes over her head. She didn't have to try for him, but he always insisted on trying _for_ her. Always trying to gain her favor, but if she was honest with herself. He shouldn't have to try, because the simple fact that he could put his past prejudices aside and be with her and trust her and just, be himself while allowing her to do the same, was enough for her.

With those thoughts in her head, she went to bed.


End file.
